Disclaimer (sometimes I ask myself why I continue to post these disclaimers…its obvious who owns the potter world) Anyway, I managed to have a great Easter, however, due to the various family functions and such, I was unable to reach a computer to post the newest chapter. That problem was soon sorted once the holidays died down.
I was amazed at the response the last chapter received and am truly grateful for every review and piece of feedback! I'm sorry for the different sizes of font in this story, but my word has become corrupted and so I have to use the works word processor, and the dividing lines for the transition of the story decided to stop working for me!
In this chapter, Steph was a great help and beta'd for me once again, so I thank her and send out virtual huggles…now, off with my babbling…I hope you like the newest chapter!
"The walls start breathing, my mind's unweaving
Maybe it's best you leave me alone
A weight is lifted on this evening
I give the final blow
When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight, it ends tonight
Just a little insight will make this right
It's too late to fight, it ends tonight, it ends tonight" - It ends tonight Lyrics by the AAR
Chapter two: Catching Infidelity Part Two
After Teddy escorted Lily to the Burrow, Harry was left to pace the living room once again, venting his anger by aiming a kick at the overstuffed sofa. It shifted a fair way due to the force of his kick; however, it missed any other pieces of furniture, preventing the room from becoming a wreck.
In his rage, it had not become apparent to him, that he had hold of his wedding photo. Biting his lip in thought, he threw the incriminating piece of evidence onto the armchair and strode over to the mahogany cupboard that held most of his family's trinkets and keepsakes. He shuffled through for a few seconds until he finally found what he was looking for and returned to sit on the floor by the sofa. He held a medium sized box in his hands and lifted the lid. Taking a deep breath, he started to pull the various photos that inhabited the box free and examined them carefully. Pictures of his children's births, parties, first steps met his eyes and he couldn't help but to smile through the anger he had built.
Sifting through the images, his smile soon started to fade as he observed the photos of Ginny and himself. His eyes were drawn to the various differences that he knew to be wrong. In many she was absent when he knew for a fact that she should be at his side. Others she had migrated to the furthest corner, leaving Harry to stand where they should have been. In one where Harry held a newborn James, Ginny had turned her back to the scene and the figurative Harry had resorted to try to coax her to turn around, to no avail. Assembling the photos around himself he shook his head disdainfully and sighed.
What did I ever do wrong?
However, he was soon interrupted from his silent musings, by the startling pop of an apparition, gathering himself and trying to regain a calm exterior he walked to the porch to meet the visitor. He knew Ginny wouldn't return for another few hours yet, especially now that she had a new love interest.
"Harry, dear!" Molly Weasley cried, bustling through the porch way whilst untangling the thick woolly scarf from her neck.
"The weather sure has taken a turn for the worst, sunny one minute, then poof! It's turned into torrential downpour!" she exclaimed, hanging her coat onto the coat rack. Harry hadn't really taken notice of the weather since he had returned home; however, casting a glance outside of the window he was startled to see that the clear blue skies had been substituted for thick storm clouds and a harsh downpour of rain.
"Harry?" Molly called. Pulling himself away from the window he turned and noticed that she had perched herself on the sofa. He leant against the window ledge and folded his arms as she patted the seat next to her.
"I'm fine here, Molly. "He declined. She looked somewhat bemused for a split second, but then returned to her usual composure, however, with a slight seriousness to her aging features.
"Teddy brought Lily over to the Burrow a few minutes ago, she seemed rather upset." Molly spoke. She looked imploringly at him and he knew it was a statement she wanted an answer to. Her brown eyes met his in a quick glance and he paused hesitantly.
What am I supposed to do?
"Did she?" he opted for the unknowing role and waited for her to answer.
Just lie, she doesn't need to know…not yet.
"Yes she was; Teddy didn't seem too happy either. I thought maybe that something had happened at ho-"
"Nothing happened here." Harry cut her off immediately, standing upright and crossing his arms defensively.
"Okay…is everything okay, Harry?"
"Everything is fine."
"Did you hear about Ron and Hermione?" Molly asked. He noticed that she had paled and struggled to finish her sentence, "t-they split-" she choked.
"I heard." he added sorrowfully. Molly began wiping her eyes with a handkerchief and continued with her news.
"I visited Ron last night…" Molly sniffed in between words, "…he seemed…lost, like he doesn't know what he's supposed to do. He was adamant that the split was for the best and that I should stay away from the situation."
As you should here, he thought morosely.
"I didn't get to see, Hermione." she sniffed once again, "what that poor girl must be going through, Ron told me it was him that initiated the split. I asked him for a reason and he just replied with…differences and enlightenment- Does that mean anything to you?" she asked hopefully. Harry furrowed his brows at her words and drew a blank, shaking his head she muttered a "Never mind." and looked about the room.
"What's this?" she asked curiously and left the sofa to kneel on the floor and grab the several photos. Harry immediately went to grab them from her and stopped as she pushed him away.
"I remember this one!" she smiled as she showed him a picture of the day Albus began walking. "I can't believe he took his first steps at the burrow, he's always surprising everyone." she smiled affectionately.
"Where's Ginny?" She asked curiously, "I took this and I remember she was sat right behind him!"
"M-Maybe it's in another one." Harry replied nervously.
Just put the bloody pictures down!
"This one too, she was right next to you in this one- I had a copy at the burrow until Hugo accidentally broke the frame." At her observations, she began to immediately flick through the numerous pictures and gasped at several others.
"W-why is she in the corner of this one?" Molly asked bringing a picture of Lily's first birthday to his face.
"She, err, wasn't she there in the first place?" he asked, scratching the back of his neck in distress. Molly shook her head and looked at him with her stern gaze.
"Harry, what's going on?" she asked seriously. He gulped at her tone of voice, no matter how old he got- Molly Weasley's uncompromising voice would always give him the jitters.
"Nothing." he managed to tell her firmly.
"Harry, these pictures don't lie. What has my daughter done?"
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Lying on her bed in her childhood room, Hermione thumbed through one of her old textbooks and silently laughed at the various added notes, scrawled with the aid of a quill. She had avoided her parents after their revelation, slightly angry that they had kept their true feelings from her. Her old bedroom acted like a sanctuary, somewhere where only she could go, somewhere that was hers and only hers.
Certificates of achievement lined her walls and photographs of her only friends hung close by. She had been adamant on being the 'best' on being the smartest witch of her age, now she felt anything but. For the first time in her life she was confused, her parent's words had left her wondering and she was hesitant to find the answer.
We thought you would've realised that Ronald Weasley wasn't the only hero in your life…
She made a mental note to ask them about it later and placed the book back in her overcrowded bookcase. She brushed the imaginary dust from her clothes and grasped her door handle before being startled by the tapping at her window. She was surprised to find a tawny barn owl --a Hogwarts barn owl. Untying the letter from its leg, she petted it gently and cursed silently when it nipped her for the absence of a treat.
"Is everyone out to get me?" she asked herself saddened as it retreated and flew into the open air. Sitting back down on her bed she untied the rolled up parchment.
Dear mum,
I haven't received a response from dad when I last wrote his letter, is everything ok?
Albus hasn't received anything from Auntie Ginny, he's getting quite worried. Anyway, everything is as expected here, I received 112% on my history of magic exam and Albus did just as good, James says he's living up to his namesake. Christmas is in a few weeks and I can't wait to come home and show you what I've been taught. The Slytherins are my only problem at the moment, they don't seem to understand that I am different, one boy though, the one we saw at the station stood up for me , so things aren't too bad on that front. Can't wait for the next charms lesson- I was first to cast the wigardium leviosa spell! Albus beat me in potions though- he seems to have a knack for it. I have to go now; Alexandria Finnegan is giving me lessons on flying! I mean real life flying! I don't want to be scared anymore!
All my love
Rose xxx
Hermione beamed at her daughter's happiness, but then realization struck- she wasn't aware of the split. Dropping her head to her hands, Hermione cursed inwardly and thought about ways to break it to her only daughter that her parents were splitting. Hermione had yet to break it to Hugo; she sensed that Hugo would be a little more understanding of the situation, despite his age. But Rose was slightly different; she was more defensive and emotional, meaning that the split would have a worse effect on her.
She couldn't wait for the Christmas holidays to tell her daughter about the split, it jut wouldn't be fair. As the front door to the Granger residence, creaked open, she quickly wrote a reply to Rose and made her way downstairs to find Hugo with a chocolate covered mouth.
"So, Grandma and Grandpa Granger went all out on the treats did they?" she asked him softly, helping him to undo his coat.
"He promised to brush his teeth twice if we bought him chocolate, so we relented." her father replied fondly ruffling his grandson's hair.
"So young man, the toothbrush is in the bathroom, and remember to brush for three minutes, no less!" Adam Granger called as Hugo raced upstairs to the bathroom.
"Never in my life as a child was I allowed chocolate!" Hermione turned to her father with raised brows, "that was your dentist code!" she told him.
"I decided to relax the code a little." he joked in response; Hermione grinned and sighed as her mother joined her father's side.
"Stopped avoiding us now?" she asked her daughter curiously. Hermione nodded and turned to drop onto the sofa.
"I think we need to talk." she told the both of them.
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"Ginny, come on, we can do this!" Blaise told her as they sat in the Hogshead.
"I mean look at it this way, if we got a joint account in Gringotts, we could each put a bit of money aside and then when we have enough you could leave Potter and we'd be able to buy a place of our own--away from England." Blaise explained. Ginny sat opposite him and chewed her lip in thought.
"But Harry, he keeps me in the limelight- you' know in the media circle. Its exciting Blaise! I can't leave that behind; I mean I need to stay young. I can't waste my life being a boring housewife until I really need to." She looked down sounding somewhat pathetically, but Blaise wouldn't relent, and it seemed he didn't even notice. She was beautiful, famous, and came willingly.
"But this will be exciting Gin! We can travel for a while and see the sights--get away from everything!" he exclaimed.
"I suppose, but what about the kids?" she asked questioningly.
"What about them?" he asked huskily.
"But--"
He pressed a finger to her pink lips, forming a mischievous grin, his eyes shimmering with some unknown fire. "Shhh...In time, I can provide what you desire, whatever you want, we don't have to be like the rest of them--the entire world is out there at our finger tips, and when the time comes I can provide your family, forget Potter, he doesn't know...and he doesn't have to."
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Harry stared blankly at Molly Weasley and raked a shaky hand through his tousled hair.
"W-what do you mean - what has she done?" he asked ever more nervous. Molly noticed the unease in his voice and stood to her feet.
"As a witch, who was brought up in the wizarding world from day one, I know the fundamental rules of wizarding photographs. I know that once a relationship has seen its days, the photo will begin to react towards the current situation, a wizarding photo will hold the happy memories as long as the relationship between the individuals is kept the same, what is going on between you and Ginny?" she asked sternly.
"What's happened? What has she done? What have you done?"
"I haven't done anything!" he retorted defensively, his temper was rising and he feared that he could become more angered with the thought of him being in the wrong.
Harry paused and regretted the moment he had freed the photos from the cupboard.
"Harry tell me! The photos don't lie!" she panicked.
Don't tell her, just fake a story… He told himself hotly.
But you can't can you? She knows something isn't right, she knows that this is a failing relationship. She'll find out soon enough…
"Harry James Potter, if you don't tell me what's going on this INSTANCE!" Molly began to rage.
Grabbing his wedding photo from the armchair she thrust it into his face and he noticed that her ears and cheeks had flushed the infamous Weasley red.
"TELL ME!" She cried out in frustration.
Harry could bear it no longer and snatched the photo from her grasp.
"She's having an affair!" he cried at his mother- in law. Molly immediately closed her mouth as she was poised to retort and widened her eyes in unadulterated shock.
"That's it Molly! Our perfect Ginny Weasley Potter! The perfect princess, witch weekly's most featured face is having an affair!" he repeated. Dropping the photo back onto the armchair, he turned away from her and to the window. The storm was gaining power and intensity, lashing mercilessly against the cool glass of the window. His translucent reflection stared back at him and he pressed his gaze harder, breaking through his own image to concentrate on the outside world.
The shallow breathing of Molly Weasley could be heard, but he ignored it and continued to watch the illuminating light that flashed on occasion due to the lightning strikes.
"Who, how--when?" Molly asked him softly, her voice piercing the once impenetrable silence.
"I don't want to talk about it." He replied firmly. A flash of lightning illuminated his face and Molly jolted as his shadow enlarged throughout the room and then returned to its original size. Molly daren't argue his statement about the affair and could truly understand that this was a grave matter.
As Harry continued to revel in the silence, with Molly recovering from the initial shock on the sofa, a different sound echoed through the room. The sound of an ignited flame, and the emerald glow that climbed the walls told the inhabitants of the Potter household that someone had flooed by.
Harry quickly removed his gaze from the window and narrowed his eyes at the sight of his wife.
"Hello." she smiled sweetly, removing her gloves and placing them onto the coffee table. Molly slowly stood to her feet and Ginny opened her arms for her mother's usual embrace. Harry was caught off-guard and winced as Molly Weasley's hand met her daughter's cheek in one swift motion, resounding with a shuddering 'smack'.
Ginny's eyes immediately began to water and she turned to Harry as a silent gesture for an explanation. Pulling the offending hand to her own chest, Molly Weasley refused to meet her daughter's shocked stare and summoned her coat and scarf to leave with an angry 'crack'.
"What was all that about?" Ginny asked him confusedly, bringing one of her thin hands towards her reddened cheek, where a bright hand-mark imprinted her face. A tear released itself from her eye and Harry scoffed in disgust.
"I think you know." he turned to her malevolently.
"Know what?" she asked him, another tear escaping from her watery prison.
"Don't play dumb, Ginevra! Take a look at this!" he fumed, shoving their wedding photo into her hands. She took it, jolting as he pushed it forcefully into her hold.
"Take a look at these!" he roared, flinging the flimsy photos towards her.
"Tell me, what's wrong?" he ordered snappily. She slowly lowered her eyes to scan the various photos and noticed what the others had observed and bit her lip in worriment.
"Harry, it's a rough patch-"
"No it isn't Gin! For once in your life, tell me the truth! Admit that you've been caught out!" he cried.
She gulped nervously, frightened beyond words due to the intensity of his temper. She'd passed the wedding photo everyday, and never once realised that it was a prime give-away.
"So, do you want me to reveal all, or are you capable of that yourself? Oh wait a minute!" he spoke sarcastically.
"If you were capable--you would have come out with it a lot sooner, eh?" he asked her with a sneer.
"Harry, don't do this." she pleaded; he ignored her words and continued with his rant.
"For months I've been unaware! Misled! Thinking you was at a conference, a party, a work meeting- when really, you were fucking Zabini behind my back!" he shouted. She noticed that his eyes were glowering with rage, bringing her heartbeat to a heightened pace. She couldn't stand here and let him degrade her any further, she had to defend herself!
"Have any words on the matter?" he asked hotly.
"Yes! As a matter of fact I do!" she retorted, throwing the photos unceremoniously to the sofa and bringing her hands to her hips.
"This should be enlightening." he mocked, leaning once again against the window frame.
"I'm not the only one at fault!" she demanded.
"You could've fooled me!" Harry interrupted without an ounce of sincerity.
"You were trying to make me into something I'm not! Loading motherhood onto me! The housewife chores and responsibilities!" she voiced with a lingering feel of anger.
"That's what you wanted!" Harry told her defiantly, "That's what parents do!"
"It's not what I wanted!" she retorted.
"So your saying- you never wanted James or Albus or Lily?" he asked confusedly, a sense of unsettlement coursing through his veins.
"Of course not! I just didn't want to turn into my mother! I'm not her! I can't cook and clean for the rest of eternity, I can't resort to having a life devoid of any excitement, I can't!" she spat.
"So that justifies the affair?" he asked sarcastically, clapping at her non-existent integrity. She glared at him with a severity in her gaze. He returned it with a short statement.
"I want you out of this house, this marriage-- it ends tonight." he told her, brushing past her and making his way to the kitchen.
"Tonight, Ginevra, it ends tonight." he repeated, leaving her to wallow in her shattered façade.
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It was later on that evening after having an insightful conversation with her parents that Hermione received the owl. She unrolled her second message of the day and gasped as Harry's scrawled words processed in her mind.
Hermione,
It's over.
-Harry.
Scrunching the letter into a tight ball, she thrust it into the bin and set about arranging a baby-sitter for Hugo, so that she could comfort her best friend, returning the favour.